


Years That Go By, The

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Alternate Universe, Challenge Response
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2001-07-14
Updated: 2001-07-14
Packaged: 2019-05-15 20:56:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14797823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: A disaster makes people think about how much a life can matter.





	Years That Go By, The

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

The Years That Go By 

Drama, Angst 

A disaster makes people think about how much a life can matter 

Heidi  
The Years That Go By  
By Heidi H. 

Disclaimers-These are not my characters and I am making no money off of them.   
The song doesn't belong to me either. It belongs to Vanessa Williams, Will  
Jennings, Sony, and Simon Climie. 

Ratings-PG, July Challenge Song Fic

The song is "Oh How The Years Go By" by Vanessa Williams from the album "Next".

  


Set-Audiotape being played over the radio after a tragedy.

  


"We are breaking into your regularly scheduled programming to bring you this  
announcement from the National News Service." the DJ stated without emotion.

"We have recently learned that former President Josiah Bartlet, Leo McGarry,  
Josh Lyman, and Toby Ziegler were in a boat crash earlier this evening. The  
boat's captain, Sam Seaborn was also severely injured in the crash. He is at  
Memorial Hospital listed in critical condition. All six Secret Service Agents  
on board were also killed in the crash. He was the only survivor. The crash is  
under investigation and they will have a statement in a few hours." the news  
anchor commented. 

"Our prayers are with the families tonight. As a tribute, we are bringing you  
Annie Benson's special audio recording of her book 'Tears And Triumphs'. The  
book which graces store shelves on Tuesday has been on the list of books that  
are sure to make a splash with the mainstream public. These are her impressions  
of the things that she has seen close up. We also want to point out that Miss  
Benson worked in the White House as a Press Liaison for the Bartlet White House.   
These are her own personal recollections and observations. Thank you for  
joining us tonight in this final tribute." the dj stated again without emotion.

  


In our times of trouble  
We only had ourselves  
Nobody else  
No one was there to save us  
We had to save ourselves 

The hearings were the worst anyone had ever seen. The special prosecutor put  
every single one of them on tv. He wanted the country to see the fall that  
these people would be taking, live. The prosecutor ripped into everyone. He  
brought out their worst and most embarrassing moments, only to be shut down by  
these dedicated people. No one would forget when Donna Moss told the prosecutor  
that her life before Bartlet wasn't any of his damn business. No one expected  
the little mousy blond to stand up to the big bad Republican. 

And when the storms came through  
They found me and you  
Back together  
And when the sun would shine  
It was yours and mine  
Yours and mine forever 

The death of Delores Landingham brought many things into perspective. People  
realized how fragile life was and that they needed to live life to its fullest  
and make sure that they had no regrets. Donna Moss was asked out by three  
separate men that she worked with, but there was only one that held her heart in  
his hand. CJ Cregg found two men also vying for her attention and knew the one  
that she wanted. People were acting on their feelings for the first time in a  
long time. The presidential health crisis brought to light that there are  
things that people are not entitled to know. Some things are just meant to be  
kept private and personal. 

Oh how the years go by  
Oh how the love brings tears to my eyes  
All through the changes, the soul never dies  
We fight, we laugh, we cry  
As the years go by 

During the hearings, we saw how people changed. Donna Moss had unshed tears in  
her eyes on the first day of her first appearance. No one would have thought  
she'd last under the intense and very personal questioning. Not even Sam, Josh,  
Leo, or Toby thought she'd last for the four weeks that she was on the stand.   
And when she told the prosecutor that her life before Bartlet wasn't any of his  
damn business, they and the rest of the country were stunned. By the time that  
the hearings were drawing to a close, the country had watched a distinct change  
in these people. They may have started out rocky, but by the end, they were  
determined and fierce people who were ready, willing, and able to fight the good  
fight.

There were times we stumbled  
They thought they had us down  
We came around  
How we rolled and rambled  
We got lost and we got found  
Now we're back on solid ground 

The gunfire came quickly. People hit the ground, pulling others with them.   
Some were saved in that moment from becoming a causality. Others were not as  
lucky. Josh Lyman was wounded during his tenure with President Bartlet. He  
will always carry the scar of what it cost him. Charlie Young has to live with  
the fact that the color of his skin and who he was dating, put so many people  
into the line of fire. People who were his friends. The shooting changed a lot  
of people that night and it changed this country. 

We took everything  
All our times would bring  
In this world of danger  
'Cause when your heart is strong  
You know you're not alone  
In this world of strangers 

The hearings were the only thing on tv. Everyone wanted a thing. Everyone  
wanted to delve into these people's lives and find out what they were about.   
The senior staff and their assistants presented a united front. They all  
answered the questions that were asked. No one used their fifth amendment  
right. These people showed the country that they had nothing to hide and wanted  
to have the country hear their side of the facts. Many people were surprised  
that these high profile people wanted to tell the truth and in fact did tell the  
truth. It was something to be seen.

If we loose our way  
Any night or day  
Well, we'll always be  
I'm there for you  
And I know you're there for me 

Leo and Margaret had a bond that went beyond the traditional boss/assistant.   
She was the one who had been with him during those years of drug and alcohol  
induced hazes. He had depended on her so much and she gave service above and  
beyond the call. It was something that no one else could understand, but the  
two people who were closer than anything. 

Josh and Donna shared more than any other team and they were a team. He bounced  
ideas off of her and took what she said to heart, not that he ever let her know  
it. She was the one who handled his over indulgences of alcohol and when he  
showed up at her place, she never turned him away. She was the one who took  
care of him during the recovery after the shooting. Donna was the one who made  
sure that he went to the hospital and had his hand looked at when he put it  
through the window. Josh was the one guy who could make her laugh and cry all  
at the same time. It was something to see.

  


As the years go by  
You know you're not alone  
In this world of strangers

After the shooting and the hearings, the staff was the one thing that was  
constant in the Bartlet administration. Sam, CJ, Leo, Josh, Toby, Donna, Carol,  
Margaret, Ginger, and Bonnie were the glue. They got through things with  
determination and vigor. All of them realized that tomorrow it would be better  
and even better the next day and the best was yet to come.

"If you are just joining us tonight, you have been listening to Annie Benson's  
audio recording of her book 'Tears And Triumphs'. We are playing this tonight  
as a tribute to former President Josiah Bartlet, Leo McGarry, Josh Lyman, and  
Toby Ziegler. All were killed earlier this evening in a boat crash, along with  
all of the Secret Service Agents on board. The Coast Guard will be holding a  
press briefing in about two hours. Sam Seaborn, the captain of the boat, was  
the only survivor and he is listed in critical condition. Right now our hearts  
are filled with prayers for the families of the people on that plane, including  
the Bartlets, Donna Moss-Lyman, Ginger Seaborn, and CJ Cregg-Ziegler. We will  
be running the audio book all evening." the dj stated, more emotional than  
ever.

  


  


End file.
